Trent Alexander-Arnold was ruled out of Liverpool's Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle with an ankle injury he picked up in their Champions League loss to Paris St-Germain.

Arne Slot said before the final that the full-back would be "assessed for how long it will take but we do expect him back before the end of the season".

Right-back is a problem position for Liverpool at the moment, with regular understudy Conor Bradley and utility defender Joe Gomez also unfit to play in the EFL Cup final.

Jarell Quansah stepped up in their absence.

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Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on team news: "Ryan Gravenberch is okay. Alisson trained with us as well. The last check later today. Conor Bradley is with us again, but he's only had a few sessions after being out for quite long so we have to make a smart decision."

Slot on Federico Chiesa after his goal in the Carabao Cup final: "It was good to see he impacted the game (against Newcastle). We know we can trust him the moment we need him."

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Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on recovering from cup defeats to Paris St-Germain in the Champions League and the EFL Cup final against Newcastle: "We are all looking so much forward to the upcoming nine games [in the Premier League]. Players are looking refreshed, in my opinion.

"But it wasn't all negative. We played a final against a very good Newcastle team and played a very good game in defeat to Paris St-Germain. We played the best game, in my opinion, but unfortunately lost on penalties.

"Now it is going to be nine finals. These games are very important for us, starting with Everton. Not only because it is the Merseyside derby but because we are in such a good position in the league."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on returning to the touchline after the ban he received following a red card in the last Merseyside derby at Everton: "I would be so surprised if I ever experienced eight minutes of so many controversial decisions at our disadvantage again. If it happens I hope I act differently, but I can't promise. But I don't think I am going to experience that again. But you never know, football is unpredictable."

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Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on playing Everton at Anfield, just over a month since a 2-2 draw at Everton: "I expect the same, but with one difference - that every time the Everton players do something well they don't get the cheers and reactions from 50,000 people.

"But our players will get that reaction after every tackle they make and for every pass they do. That is a different emotion, but football wise I expect the same because this is what Everton have done for the last nine or 10 games now, with David Moyes in charge.

"They didn't lose one game in the last nine Premier League games, so it would be a surprise if they are going to do something different. And we are top of the league so it would be strange if we are going to change something as well."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot did his best to deflect questions about whether he was concerned about what impact reports about contract negotiations with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah would have on the team.

"It's a situation that is there for eight months now and all these three players have performed so well under these circumstances so it doesn't affect me at all.

"I think there was a bit of noise about us losing against Paris St-Germain and us losing against Newcastle as well. I always try to be rational. I was a bit more frustrated about the final, because I think we deserved to lose that one. For the first time we deserved to lose a football game."

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Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold's fitness and transfer talks: "His situation is unfortunately that he is injured, otherwise people would have probably spoken about him that he had one or two brilliant performances for the England team. But he's injured and for him that means he is fully focused on his recovery and for us that means we are trying to help him to be back as soon as he can.

"For the rest, of course, for eight months it went a bit up and down maybe, with all kinds of talks about him, Virgil or Mo. But we have never been focused on those talks, we have always been focused on what we have to do.

"For Virgil and Mo that is trying to win the Merseyside derby, and for Trent that is making sure he is can get fit as soon as he can."

Liverpool

Unsurprisingly, the first question Arne Slot is asked is about Trent Alexander-Arnold.

"His situation is that he's injured, so we are focused on recovery," says the Liverpool manager. "We are helping him to be back as soon as he can.

"We have never been focused on those talks."

Full quotes to follow.

Liverpool

Right, the wait is over, it's time to hear from Liverpool manager Arne Slot before Wednesday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.

Let's see what he has to say about that game, as well as those reports about Real Madrid's transfer talks with Trent Alexander-Arnold...

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Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Normally, this deal would be a simple case of allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool contract to run out on 30 June and Real Madrid would conclude the deal.

But this is no ordinary summer.

World governing body Fifa has changed their rules to allow clubs competing in the Club World Cup to sign players ahead of the tournament, from 1 to 10 June.

That would require Real and Liverpool to strike a deal to allow Alexander-Arnold to complete his switch early and be available for the new, expanded tournament in the United States.

Alternatively, Real could wait and register Alexander-Arnold mid-tournament, when clubs are allowed to change their squads in a short window between 27 June and 3 July.

Former England and Everton forward Wayne Rooney says he understands the allure of Real Madrid:

"If Trent Alexander-Arnold does join Real Madrid this summer, fair play to him. I was once tempted to make a big move to Spain myself.

"Alexander-Arnold is 26 and out of contract at the end of the season, so he is in a position where he either commits the rest of his career to Liverpool or decides to go to Real - who clearly want him.

"If he was to leave Liverpool for any other club you might wonder why, but, because it is Real we are talking about, I don't think you could question it as a career move.

"Real are the biggest club in the world with an incredible history, so it would be a massive opportunity and I'd understand if he felt it was too good to turn down."

• Read Rooney's full column here, as he discusses the time he was ready to walk away from Manchester United for either Chelsea, Real Madrid or Barcelona.

A host of BBC Sport's regular pundits have had their say.

Former Manchester City full-back Nedum Onuoha believes Liverpool fans - however conflicted they are about the news - need to reflect on what he has done for the club:

"He has been a huge inspiration to people who have wanted to play football in England and for Liverpool fans who would love to do what he has in his career for his boyhood club.

"Not only that, he is considered to be one of the best creative defenders in the history of the Premier League in such a short space of time. That is a credit to him.

"I can understand the sadness but it is about taking a minute to appreciate everything that he has done for the club. He deserves the credit because it has been extraordinary."

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A better question is probably to ask what has not been said.

The vacuum of news created by an international week has been filled by a flurry of views on whether or not this would be a good move for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid and/or Liverpool.

Feelings are split amongst Liverpool fans - from those who do not want to lose the talented defender or are angry that he should consider leaving his boyhood club on a free, to those who have wished him well and are pleased to see him get such an opportunity.

There are even those who are happy to see him leave and believe understudy Conor Bradley is a better long-term prospect.

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News about talks between Real Madrid and Trent Alexander-Arnold broke during an international break, meaning Liverpool manager Arne Slot has not yet been publicly asked for his view...

Until now.

The Reds boss is holding a news conference from around 09:00 BST to talk about Wednesday's Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Normally their clash with rivals Everton would dominate the discussion, but probably not today.

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It's been almost a week since the story broke that Real Madrid were in talks with Liverpool's England full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 26-year-old is out of contract in the summer and would be available to join the European champions on a free transfer.

While multiple sources close to the negotiations have told BBC Sport that a deal is still to be fully agreed, work towards completing the transfer is reaching the closing stages.

Though, as it stands, nothing has been signed yet.

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